


Before the Storm - Vignettes

by blue_and_copper



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-30 17:26:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19407943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_and_copper/pseuds/blue_and_copper
Summary: A collection of canon-divergent character pieces set during the meteor trip. Alternatively titled "It's hard, being a kid and growing up. It's hard and nobody understands."Chapter 1: The Prince of Hope – Walking with Angels (Eridan)Chapter 2: The Knight of Blood - Kings of Men (Karkat)Chapter 3: The Sylph of Space - Burning in Silence (Kanaya)More about the awkwardness of unrequited romance than the feelings of being in it.





	1. The Prince of Hope – Walking with Angels

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2015, updated 2017, posted 2019. Sequel soon, I do want to do more of these. Chapter numberings left open for this reason.

Then, something clicked. Eridan blinked, and looked around, the muzzle of the Crosshairs dropping slightly. The angel in front of him cocked it’s head, eyes blinking curiously. The rest of them were shuffling around in the distance, milling about aimlessly.

What had just happened? There had been a sense – _something_ \- like something had changed. But he couldn't put his finger on it.

Eridan realized suddenly that he had been standing there for several minutes, frozen in a warlike stance, but the barrel of the rifle had slowly been drooping towards the ground the entire time. He blinked a few times, then raised the Crosshairs, preparing to blast the face of this smug landdwelling insolent little—

His computer buzzed.

“Glubbing idiots,” he swore softly, lowering the rifle to rest it in the dirt. “Can’t spend a fishin’ minnowit without havin’ a carp at me.”

He unclipped the clamshell communicator and flipped it open. Inside floated a message. From Fef.

CC: Hey Eridan! Just checkin up on my favorite moirail!

He started blinking again, more rapidly, as the hand with the clamshell fell to his side. He knew what she would say if she saw him now. Whale, not the words – but what she would say, yeah. Ask him what he was doin’ with that glubbin’ great murderweapon pointed at his land’s critters (land, pfffh,) and whether he was even tryin’ to get anywhere. Yeah.

He swung aimlessly from side to side for a moment, before wandering over to sit down on a rock with a _whoosh_ of breath.

He sighed. Maybe he wasn’t trying to get anywhere. Maybe he’d just given up on this game, and was admitting to himself that he didn’t want to do it, that he hadn’t wanted to all along. Maybe it was the end of it he didn’t want to deal with, what would happen after they all met up and he had to face the filthy landdwellers. Maybe he was scared.

Pfffh, scared?! He shook his head. Scared of what? Facing his teammates angry eyes and raised eyebrows and snarky surprise noodles, having to explain to their faces exactly why he wanted to kill them, kill them all, having to figure that out himself-

He felt a gentle pressure from behind him and lashed out, catching something soft and feathery with a fist. All he gets in return is a _floomphing_ noise and the _churring_ of those _fucking angels._ What are they even here for, anyway? He thinks someone might have told him about a quest, or something? Whatever. Actually, that might have something to do with that funky-lookin tower off in the distance. And Fef mentioned something about a new outfit? What’s wrong with what you’ve got? All majestic-like. Proper seadweller fashion. Those land dwellers have no idea how to be properly classy.

The number of hands pushing him forward has increased steadily as he has tried to monologue quietly, and now the pressure almost buffets him off his feet. He sighs, and supposes to himself that he can’t continue hangin’ around this fuckin’ place too much longer. And Fef would probably be disappointed if he killed any of his adorin’ fans.

He sighs again, then lets the feathery hands push him forward into a reluctant walk. Nowwhere to go but forwward, you guess.

* * *

Some stupid number of hours later, he’s standing in some abandoned laboratory on a meteor in the Furthest Ring, being shouted at by a diminutive loudmouth who has _no idea_ just how itchy his trigger finger is. If Fef wasn’t standing there with her arms folded…

He blinks, eyes coming into focus as stubby grey fingers are snapped in front of them. "HEY," ring his ears, "ANY CHANCE YOU'RE GOING TO PAY ANY ATTENTION TO ME, FUCKASS? YEAH, I'M TALKING TO YOU. WHAT, YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH NOT HELPING OUT BACK THERE? YEAH, YOUR LITTLE HARPOONS DIDNT EXACTLY HELP MUCH WHEN YOU KEPT MISSING THE FUCKING ENEMY. WHAT EXACTLY WERE YOU DOING ON YOUR HOME PLANET? JUST SITTING AROUND TOUCHING YOUR SHAME GLOBES? I SUPPOSE WE CAN'T ALL BE-"

"Shut up, Karkat," Eridan replied angrily. "You should be grateful I've given up on tryin' to destroy the last of you filthy landdwwellers. No need to thank me though, I see how it is. Just don't expect me to put up with any more of your carp about this. You're not my leader. You never were."

He turns away, whipping his cape behind him, and stalks off into the recesses of the lab, leaving his 'fearless leader' to scream himself hoarse behind him.

He seethes for a while, shooting random tanks of some unidentified liquid suspending gargantuan figures inside them, suppressing shudders as the viscous glop laps against his shoes. The corridors wind out before him, cold and empty and desolate – but he’s not even paying attention to the corridors, so it doesn’t really matter. The sludge from the tanks isn’t really so bad, either. The movement away from it is mostly automatic, and kind of half-hearted.

Eridan stops dead in the middle of walking, chest heaving. For some reason he doesn’t really understand, his chest is heaving, and the gulps of air he takes don’t seem to be doing anything. And his eyes are swimming with tears. _What’s wrong with me?_ , he thinks to himself, and swipes the back of his hand angrily across his face.

As he continues moving, he fumbles with the knot of his cape at his throat, finally giving up and just ripping it over his head. He casts it aside into the muck and slime, not bothering to send a glance after it to see its demise. A hand knots itself into the scarf around his neck, before relaxing and winding it tighter around him. The corridors are cold, after all.

* * *

Back in the lab station, you punch randomly at the keys on your computer. Does it really matter? Who cares if they won or lost? It’s not like _he_ was going to be happy anyway. Ten of ‘em don’t trust you, the other just wants to be friends – who needs that, anyway? The only thing friends got the rest of these losers was a reservation on a meteor in a shady part of town.

He looks up to find Fef standing nervously behind his shoulder. “Hey, Fef,” he says cautiously, striving for casual. “Haven’t really had a chance to talk much yet, have we?”

“Yeah, Eridan,” she says, sounding almost shy. Her eyes are cast down and a foot is scuffing the floor. “That’s kind of what I wanted to talk about.”

His heart and mind begin racing as the rest of him tries to get itself to calm down. “What did you mean?”

“Well,” she hesitates, “What I said earlier, when we were in the medium – the thing is, Eridan, I think maybe I spoke too soon. I was stressed, maybe a little angry, even – I don’t want to just cut myself off from you. When I said I didn’t want to be your moirail any more, I didn’t mean – well, I did, but I wasn’t trying to - what I’m trying to say is – “

“What is it, Fef?” His body’s given up now, and his heart rate continues to quicken. She’s still trying and failing to speak, and the side of Eridan’s mouth quirks up. “I ain’t got all day, you know.”

She laughs. “The thing is, I just wanted to - “ She breaks off, before suddenly ducking in to plant a kiss on the lips of a very surprised and flustered Eridan. Flushing a lovely fuchsia color, she smiles again as she touches his face with her hand. “Just something to think about, yeah?”

She stepped away to walk across the lab, calling back to Eridan as she went, “Come find me when you’re done thinking about it!” Her face was split ear to ear with that beautiful smile.

Eridan stared after her, his own cheeks flushing brilliantly as his hand came up to cover the same place her warm hand had rested just seconds ago. As he watched her walk away, he felt something rise up inside him, something he hadn’t felt for days.

Hope.


	2. The Knight of Blood - Kings of Men

CG: WAIT. TEREZI.

[GALLOWSCALIBRATOR LEFT THE CHAT]

[GALLOWSCALIBRATOR JOINED THE CHAT]

GC: Y34H?

CG: I KNOW I’VE BEEN KIND OF AN ASS ABOUT THIS WHOLE TEAM THING, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT ITS NOT PERSONAL.

GC: R34LLY.

CG: WELL, I’M NOT TRYING TO INSULT YOU

CG: EVEN IF I WOULD ULTIMATELY BE A FAR BETTER LEADER THAN YOU

GC: 4LR1GHT, 1’M L34V1NG 4G41N

CG: THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT

CG: i’ll even, uh, talk normally

CG: look, i’m not trying to show off how angry i am

GC: >:o

GC: SP1T 1T OUT, K1TK4T

CG: i still plan on being the best leader i can be for this sorry lot

CG: but i hope you won’t get offended if i have to flap my gaping noisevoid at you

CG: and i hope we can be friends?

CG: at least?

GC: 4T L34ST?

GC: 

GC: 

GC: 

GC: >:]

GC: MY MY MR. V4NT4S, 1S 1T W4RM WH3R3 YOU 4R3 OR 1S 1T JUST YOU? 1 WOULDN’T B3 SURPR1S3D TO  _ S33  _ YOU TURN1NG A B1T R3D. FLUSH3D, 3V3N?

GC: >:]

GC: >:] >:] >:] >:] >:]

[CARCINOGENETICIST LEFT THE CHAT]

GC: >:]

* * *

Some eyewateringly stupid amount of time later, Karkat found himself looking down on Terezi once more. Literally, this time - rather than being a condescending snob with no particular physical advantage, he was now poised over her prone form - but with no special urge to judge her for it. Even though the surroundings of his former flushcrush could be described best as disgusting, the most negative emotion he felt just then was pity. Actually, there was some anger there as well, but that didn’t count. Fuckin’ clowns.

He sighed, then nudged Terezi’s still form with a toe. “Hey. Wake up.”

Wait. No.

He cleared his throat, then paused.

“HEY, YOU LAZY SACK OF GRUB AND CLOWN SAUCE, WAKE THE FUCK UP AND SMELL THE ROSES OF RAGE. I WOULD’VE MUCH PREFERRED TO WAKE YOU SLOWLY AND GENTLY, BUT GIVEN THAT YOU’VE SHOWN NO MERCY TO MY TROLL PRINCESS SENSIBILITIES I DON’T FEEL THE NEED TO SPARE YOURS.”

He rocked back on his heels for a moment, then smiled. That had felt good. Then he leaned down to put his mouth right next to Terezi’s ear.

“AFTER I MURDER YOUR SENSIBILITIES, YOUR EARS WILL BE THE FIRST TO GO.”

Terezi finally rolled over and groaned into the light, blocking her view of Karkat with an arm across her face.

“If I tell you I human love you, will you go away?”

“Probably not,” Karkat returned. “I’d mostly given up on it, but if you’re intent on strumming shitty clown music out on my heartstrings you’re welcome to go ahead.”

“Good.” Terezi rolled over again to lay face down in a puddle of Faygo, fetching up against Karkat’s shoes. “Human love doesn’t make any sense anyway.”

“I don’t pretend to understand it.”

“I don’t even really understand troll quadrants. How can you be in blackrom with someone you hate more than you hate being blind and useless and flushcrush on two other people who don’t give a shit about you?”

“Well, if you-”

“At the same time.”

Silence.

Terezi went on. “Everything makes sense until you jump into it. Then everythings confusing and everyone’s either horrible, unavailable or dead. Why can’t anything be simple.”

Karkat hadn’t even heard the end of the sentence. “Who exactly were you flushcrushing on? I’m turning it over in my head and can’t think of anyone - besides Dave, of course - who you’d ever give a flying fuck about enough to even consider getting -”

“Don’t be such a grub, Karkat.” Terezi rolled onto her back again and threw her other arm across her face. her free hand clenched around the fabric of her shirt. “It was you.”

Karkat stood in silence, mind whirling. She what?

“See, Karkat, it’s hard. Being a kid and growing up. It’s hard and nobody understands.”

* * *

Immediately after leaving Terezi in a pool of her own Faygo-flavored drool, Karkat went back to his temporary hive to destroy all traces of anything that could be remotely construed as square or grid-like. He ripped out most of the penises too, but thought that maybe Dave would want to keep some as mementos. Humans were weird like that.

Musing over the shredded remains of the text, Karkat remembered seeing, when studying the humans initially, evidence of some kind of holiday celebrated by the humans. From what he could recall, it seemed to involve plastering red everywhere and decorating everything with downward-facing red penises cut out of paper. Should he give one of those to Terezi?

Obviously not. Too many human inventions were stupid and horrible for there to even be a chance of that being a good idea.

With a sigh, he moved on the the rest of his hive. Aimlessly, he picked things up and put them back down. It was a sparse selection, as he hadn’t exactly had much time to accumulate belongings in the scant time they’d been living here, but it had been long enough that the low roof felt crowded. That might’ve just been his growing, though. He’d had to alchemize larger clothes at least twice, and now had to stoop to fit through some of the more oddly-shaped doorways.

They’d all done some growing on this journey. Sometimes it felt to Karkat as if he’d done more than anyone. The friends that were left to him depended on him for his leadership and care even more than they had while playing the game. On the other hand, he still made so many mistakes it looked as if it were the other way around.

Life had been much simpler when his only romantic interests had been the clinical observation of troll romance films (which were of course superior to human romance films in any possible way.) Now everyone was, as Terezi had put it, either horrible, unavailable, or dead.

Poor Nepeta.

Fuckin’ John.

Hmmmmmmmm.

Oh, right.

That fuckin’ clown. (Fuck that guy.)

Come to think of it, did he really even _ want  _ to try getting involved with Terezi again? Just because she was newly available didn’t mean she wanted to jump right in at the chance of another quadrant. Or that he did.

Maybe he’d just bring her some clean pants.


	3. The Sylph of Space - Burning in Silence

Ever since the meteor had set off on it’s journey through to the new session, Kanaya had more or less spent her time doing whatever would more or less avoid the humans. If asked, she would have said she was hunting for a certain clown (fuck that guy) but really she was running away from having to be disappointed by the humans.

Or worse, disappointing them herself.

Though most of her time had been spent aimlessly roaming the meteor, taking twists and turns to avoid seeing any of her travel companions, she had had time to design and alchemize some new outfits to wear, all of which were the most utterly fashionable. If she ever managed to work up the courage to actually talk to a human again, she was bound to make a wonderful second impression.

Kanaya sighed and leaned against the wall of the corridor (taking care to avoid brushing up against the blood spatters that still decorated the panels.) Why couldn’t anything be simple? She had been working so hard on making friends with the humans - once she realized they weren’t all as horrible as Karkat had made them out to be, anyway - what was so difficult about talking to them now?

“Hey, Kanaya!” came the shout from down the hall. She started, then looked up.

“Yo, it’s Dave,” said the bright red figure strolling casually toward her. He was nearly as tall as she was.

“Yes, I recall,” Kanaya returned, rather stiffly. “Though I also recall you not being overly familiar or inclined to swap small talk when we first encountered each other in person.”

He laughed. “Hold on, are you saying  _ I’m  _ the one who’s been standoffish and rude? I mean normally I’d hate to turn that around on a lady such as yourself, but I’m definitely not the one who’s been taking pains to keep out of sight of everyone all this time. What, were you expecting the rest of us to come and make friends for you?”

Kanaya’s mouth opened and closed, rather dumbly. Having been seen right through, she was entirely lost as to what to say.

Dave turned to walk back the way he had came. “If you come with, I guess you can claim that strategy worked. Long as it took, anyway.”

He paused several steps away, then turned and cocked his head in her direction. “Come on, what are you waiting for? The company’s not getting any sober-er…. errr… just come with, can’t you?”

Kanaya flushed slightly as she set off after her guide, wondering (and feeling faintly ridiculous as she did so) if it would be rude to stop off and change in her temporary hive. 

* * *

Upon arrival in the common area of the meteor (which at the time was occupied only by the two humans, plus an odd smell lingering in the air of sopor slime) Kanaya sat awkwardly on a seat near the edge of the table. Off in the far corner, she could see the Rose human tinkering with several items including what appeared to be an alchemizer of some sort, a coffee machine, an empty bottle of Faygo, and - was that a bathtub?

Curiosity overcoming any nervousness she felt at the moment, Kanaya crossed the room to stand beside Rose, arms folded, only to find out that her initial impressions of the counter’s contents were exactly as they had appeared from a distance. There was an example of the meteor’s startlingly advanced technology, a coffee machine, an empty bottle of either clown sauce or apple juice with the label stripped off, and a miniaturized bathtub strewn across the surface.

“What exactly is it you’re trying to do?” Kanaya inquired. Having expected Rose was just ignoring her, she was justifiably startled when the human flinched violently enough to knock both the juice bottle and the bathtub off the counter top.

Both of them shrieked as the porcelain container shattered into hundreds of pieces, while the bottle (which Kanaya’s sensitive nose could by now tell had once definitely held apple juice) bounced off the side of the cabinets and rattled to a rolling stop on the floor. Behind them in the sudden silence, Dave began laughing hysterically.

Slowly, Rose turned around, breathing heavily as she and Kanaya stared at each other wide-eyed. After a moment of prolonged eye contact and having to deal with Dave’s whoops, which had devolved into giggling into one arm and pounding on the table with the other, smiles slowly spread across the girls’ face and they awkwardly shared a laugh between them.

“I’m sorry,” Kanaya began, as they both started to step away from the sharp-edged destruction littering the floor around their feet. “I wouldn’t have come up behind you so quietly if I’d known you were in such a state of concentration.” 

“Oh, no, it’s totally fine,” returned Rose, who was still breathing rather quickly and whose cheeks were flushed, “Honestly the bathtub was probably a bad idea in the first place, I really don’t know what I was thinking. What I’m going to do with all of these shards, though…”

Immediately Kanaya knelt down on her skirt to begin sweeping up the pieces of tub with her toughened hands, making a small pile to the side of the cabinets. “I do really feel the need to apologize, but as long as you say it’s all right I don’t suppose it’s really…” 

She trailed off as her hand landed on the empty apple juice bottle, for as soon as she had touched it a warm and soft hand had covered her own. She looked up to find that Rose had knelt next to her and was now staring into her eyes, without saying a word. They crouched in silence for a moment, and Kanaya thought after a moment that the shine in Rose’s eyes was getting brighter - until she realized that it was actually her own skin that was starting to give off more light. She was positively blushing, just from a little skin contact.

Kanaya immediately rose to a standing position, but Rose followed her up to stand even closer than they had been sitting and maintained the grip on her hand. “Really,” she said softly. “It’s fine.”

Self-consciously, Kanaya pulled back from the grip of the goddess - sorry, human - that held her, before awkwardly extending the bottle back toward her. “Oh, uh, here…”

“Yes, thank you.” As if aware the moment had passed, Rose tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and turned away from the troll she had been gazing at, though Kanaya caught a hint of pink rising in her cheeks. This was something to ask Karkat about.

After a moment Dave began tunelessly whistling behind them, and Kanaya turned to find that she had been staring at Rose for probably more time than had been appropriate. She made a hasty escape from the room, calling out a rushed goodbye to the siblings and promises to return at some point in the future.

Though maybe, Kanaya thought to herself, not without a much better idea of just what all that touching and staring was about.


End file.
